UConn Hasn't Made Any Pledges To Big East

DOM AMORE

The music of major college conference realignment was still playing, chairs were still unoccupied — and UConn was still milling about.

As the Big East tries to save itself as a relevant football conference, commissioner John Marinatto said each football school had pledged to remain in the conference. But a source told the Courant that UConn twice declined to pledge its long-term allegiance — after the departures of Syracuse and Pittsburgh last Sunday and again at a hastily called league meeting on Tuesday night. In both instances, the conference was reacting to the departure of Syracuse and Pittsburgh to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

This is no surprise, since UConn President Susan Herbst and the coaches of its major sports have all expressed the need to do what is best for the university. UConn is keeping its options open.

As dominoes have fallen, teetered or stayed upright, it seems less likely that staying in the Big East would be the best option. On Wednesday, the Pac 12 Conference announced that it was not expanding. If it's sincere, that means the plan for Texas and Oklahoma to join the West Coast schools, taking Oklahoma State and Texas Tech with them, is scotched. That increases the chances the Big 12 will stay intact and any merger of its remnants with Big East remnants would be off. Missouri, with an offer from the Southeast Conference reportedly in hand, is waiting to see if Texas and Oklahoma stay.

Texas has its own lucrative TV arrangement, the Longhorn Network, and has been haggling with the Big 12 over sharing its revenue. This proved to be a sticking point with the Pac 12. But now it seems possible that Texas would make concessions and stay in the Big 12, though the school is said to want commissioner Dan Beebe to resign.

Sitting in the middle with Texas is Notre Dame, a football independent and Big East member in every other sport. Perhaps both could go to the Big 10 or the ACC. If the ACC, now at 14 teams, lands Notre Dame alone, it figures to look for a 16th member.

This leaves UConn in limbo, and could for some time. ACC commissioner John Swofford said the league is happy with 14 schools, but is "not philosophically opposed" to going to 16. UConn and Rutgers would be good competitive and geographical fits for an ACC northern division with Syracuse, Pitt and Boston College. Once the ACC knows whether it can get Notre Dame, it could then make a decision on UConn or Rutgers.

The Big East could survive as a basketball conference, recruiting basketball-only schools to join its long-time non-football members, or it could try to add football universities such as East Carolina or Central Florida, but that might not then save its top-tier status in the BCS.